1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drying device for worked metal parts which can efficiently dry the worked metal parts after washed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the influence of a washing agent or the like upon environments has become a problem, and there is a trend that the use of chlorofluorocarbon, trichloroethane, etc. conventionally used as an all-purpose washing agent has been gradually prohibited. Then, desired is the establishment of a washing process using a washing agent such as a water base or hydrocarbon base washing agent as an alternative washing liquid.
In working a sheet metal such as punching to form worked metal parts, oil is applied to the sheet metal in advance. Accordingly, the worked metal parts are washed to remove the oil by conventionally using an all-purpose washing liquid such as chlorofluorocarbon or trichloroethane. As such an all-purpose washing liquid has a low boiling point, it shows a characteristic of entering a gap between the worked metal parts sticking to each other and also shows a characteristic of drying in a short time. Owing to these characteristics of the all-purpose washing liquid, there hardly occurs a problem that the worked metal parts stick to each other to cause insufficient washing and drying as in the case of using a washing agent such as water base or hydrocarbon base washing agent.
However, the recent trend on the use of chlorofluorocarbon, trichloroethane, etc. is toward the prohibition for protection of environments as mentioned above, so that a washing process using an alternative washing agent such as a water base or hydrocarbon base washing agent has been greatly investigated for washing of worked metal parts. In general, such a washing process includes a washing step, a rinsing step for rinsing off the washing agent, and a drying step. For example, barrel drying is employed in the drying step. The barrel drying is a method of forcibly drying worked metal parts after washed by rotating a cage containing the parts and simultaneously blowing air toward the cage.
In performing the barrel drying after washing the worked metal parts with the alternative washing agent such as the water base or hydrocarbon base washing agent, the worked metal parts scattered in the washing step and the rinsing step tend to be collected at one position by the rotation of the cage. The collection of the worked metal parts, especially, plate-like worked metal parts formed from a sheet metal, at one position causes sticking of the parts to each other due to water drops on their surfaces. As a result, moisture (washing liquid and/or rinsing liquid) remaining between the surfaces of the parts sticking to each other cannot be dried off.